Jason Lemon

03/16/2025

New from me, I did an EXCLUSIVE interview with Nancy Pelosi challenger Saikat Chakrabarti for Newsweek

While Pelosi, known for her political savvy and fundraising prowess, may be a formidable opponent, Chakrabarti, 39, is no stranger to taking on a powerful incumbent and winning. As the co-founder of the progressive organization Justice Democrats, Chakrabarti was instrumental to Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 2018 upset primary victory in New York—defeating powerful former Representative Joe Crowley, who was then serving as the chair of the House Democratic Caucus.

Chakrabarti told Newsweek he sees the present as a "huge moment of change" for his party and the country.

"Democrats need to be presenting an actual plan for how we reverse this long-term decline that's been happening for much of the country," he said.

Read the rest at this link:

The progressive candidate told Newsweek the Democratic Party is seeing a "huge moment of change."

12/29/2024

NEW from me, I did an EXCLUSIVE interview for Newsweek with Marianne Williamson on her bid to be the new DNC chair, her views on Donald Trump and why she thinks Elon Musk's political influence is "terrifying."

Check it out:

Democrats "must become a phenomenon," the progressive leader told Newsweek.

09/04/2024

NEW from me, I did an EXCLUSIVE interview for Newsweek with Florida's Democratic Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, in which we discussed Venezuela, immigration and her opponent, incumbent Republican Senator Rick Scott, in depth.

"What we're seeing in these past few weeks is that Maduro is refusing to recognize the results of that election. He has been targeting the opposition. He has been making threats of imprisoning Edmundo González and María Corina Machado. We know for a fact that many Venezuelans have already been imprisoned for speaking out. I have family, actually, in Venezuela—have very good friends that live in Venezuela and there's this extended family member who is a journalist who is extremely worried and scared," Mucarsel-Powell told me.

The Florida Democrat slammed progressives backing socialist policies as "completely ignorant."

08/21/2024

I've been SO EXCITED to be on my Newsweek colleague H. Alan Scott podcast, The Parting Shot, with Newsweek senior editor Jenni Fink this week to discuss the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

It's been really enjoyable debriefing with both of them, and discussing our various takes on the speakers, the vibes and even a little bit of drama!

Check out the first two DNC episodes at the link below, and check back daily this week for our reactions.

Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott delivers your weekly dose of pop culture with the Parting Shot. Every Friday you’ll get celebrity interviews, award show coverage, and the rundown on exactly what to watch, read, and listen to in culture. Consider the Parting Shot podcast your one stop shop for everythin...

08/16/2024

NEW from ME. I did an EXCLUSIVE interview with Lucas Kunce, who is running for Senate against incumbent Senator Josh Hawley in Missouri.

"We are really trying to take power back from politicians like Josh Hawley, who want to control us and take our power away," Kunce told Newsweek. "He wants to control us in the bedroom, the doctor's office, the workplace. He was a right-to-work guy, anti-union. He won't protect IVF or contraception."

The Missouri Senate candidate says his opponent is a "typical country club" Republican who wants to "control" state voters.

08/13/2024

NEW from me! I did an EXCLUSIVE interview with Senator Bernie Sanders on why he thinks Democrats should focus on working class issues and what Kamala Harris should do to win.

"I was on a television show the other day. What I said is, 'If the Republicans and Trump want to attack Harris and Walz for cutting the cost of prescription drugs in half, which is what I think our poll says is widely popular, I'll help pay for that ad.'

Can you see the ad? 'Harris and Walz want to reduce prescription drug costs by 50 percent! Vote for Donald Trump!' I don't think so. And I think if the next ad is that 'Harris and Walz want to increase the minimum wage in this country to a living wage. Vote for Trump.' I don't think so. So Republicans want to put those ads on the air, I'll help pay for them, and I think they would be absolutely counterproductive to their interests."

https://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-bernie-sanders-how-kamala-harris-can-win-1937601

06/08/2024

NEW EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver may be a long shot, but he sees himself as having one key advantage over former President Donald Trump and incumbent President Joe Biden—his age.

The 38-year-old Georgia native is less than half the age of both of the dominant candidates, as Trump is 77 and Biden is 81. Even when broadening the field to include fellow third-party contenders Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (70), Jill Stein (74) and Cornel West (71), Oliver is still decades younger—a fact he's hoping can boost his campaign with millennial and Gen Z voters.

"It's time for our generation to really rise up," he told Newsweek in an exclusive interview.

https://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-chase-oliver-trump-biden-nato-genocide-1909886 Newsweek

The Libertarian presidential candidate describes Trump and Biden as "authoritarians" and "terrible choices" for America.

12/22/2023

NEW EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: I spoke with Congressman Dean Phillips about his Democratic presidential primary run and his vision for universal basic income (UBI), Medicare for All and legalizing ma*****na at the federal level.

"People in their 80s do not see things, have not lived things, have not experienced things that younger generations have," Phillips said, explaining why he thinks Biden opposes policy ideas that polls show to be popular.

Biden's challenger for the Democratic nomination wants to immediately legalize ma*****na and push through Medicare for All.

11/18/2023

NEW EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: I talked with Jill Stein about her 2024 presidential ambitions, the U.S. response to Israel-Gaza war, her fears about the growing risk nuclear war and why she thinks Democrats and Republicans have failed the American people.

"It's just, it's shameful. And shame on our misleaders for conducting these war crimes, this genocide that's going on in Gaza right now and in Palestine," Stein told me in regards to Israel's invasion of Gaza.

"It's not rocket science how to fix this. I think we need to be complying with international law and human rights, and just put diplomacy first, not our weapons and the profits of the weapons. profiteers."

https://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-jill-stein-trump-israel-why-democrats-are-scared-1844766 Newsweek

The 2024 presidential hopeful told Newsweek that it's a "badge of honor" when Democrats blame her for Trump's 2016 election win.

04/22/2023

NEW: Pastors for Trump Preacher Wants God to 'Take Over the Government'

"We want God to be in control of everything! We want believers to be the ones writing the laws! Yes! Guilty as charged," Sean Feucht said

"We want God to be in control of everything. We want believers to be the ones writing the laws," evangelical Christian preacher Sean Feucht said.

07/04/2021

NEW: Faith groups launch new curriculum in bid to address surge in Christian nationalism

"Pastor Doug Pagitt, the executive director of Vote Common Good, and Amanda Tyler, who leads Christians Against Christian Nationalism, told Newsweek that the political movement has been alive within the U.S. for decades, but that Trump embraced and emboldened Christian nationalists. They said this led to a surge in the movement's visibility and prominence over the past several years.

'January 6 made it clear that those roots had grown very, very deep in the society and were now tied into a whole lot of other movements that were seriously dangerous,' Pagitt said. 'It's kind of been an escalating shift to really now—not to view this only as a problem for the faithful, but a problem for the planet and the country.'

Tyler said the country began seeing 'increasing instances of Christian nationalism' a little over two years ago. She said this included 'increasing violent incidents.' She pointed out that Christian nationalism has ties to white nationalism, emphasizing that these beliefs were used to justify slavery, Jim Crow laws in the South and segregation. These links were apparent during the insurrection, as many of Trump's supporters carried Confederate flags or wore symbols denoting an association with white supremacist beliefs."

Christian nationalism is not just "a problem for the faithful, but a problem for the planet and the country," said pastor Doug Pagitt.

04/23/2021

NEW from me: I recently interviewed Congressman Jamaal Bowman about his first few months in Congress, President Joe Biden and the progressive agenda. Bowman hailed the White House and Congress for being "more progressive than they've ever been," but also said that he's willing to criticize and apply pressure when he sees fit.

On the socialist label, Bowman told me: "Martin Luther King Jr. identified as a socialist, and Fred Hampton identified as a socialist and so does Angela Davis. Whenever I can be mentioned in the same category as them, I'm exactly where I need to be."

Representative Jamaal Bowman, a New York Democrat and member of the Squad, on his first three months in office and why he doesn't mind being called a socialist.